After Everything That Happened, Now What?
by Reader128
Summary: How would Sandy's parents take their only child becoming a Pink Lady? Or their nephew becoming a T-Bird? I can't see that ending well for Sandy or Michael, can you? Please read and review. Cross-posted on AO3.


"Michael!" someone called. He looked around and saw his cousin's husband standing next the bus he was about to get on.

"Danny? What are you doing here?" he asked, walking towards his cousin.

"Sandy got a call this mornin'. It was her parents. They said somethin' about you joinin' the Birds," Danny said smirking. "They were not happy. She's at their house right now tryin' to cool them off. You know what they did when Sandy joined the Ladies."

Michael nodded. His aunt and uncle had kicked out their only daughter when she joined the Pink ladies at the end of her senior year, said something about joining a gang and how no gang members would be allowed to live in their house. He could imagine what they were thinking now that he followed in her footsteps and joined the T-Birds.

"So, why are you here?"

"I'm supposed to bring the car in case they do the same thing to you. We have a guest room you can stay in."

"Who's your friend?" his girlfriend's voice said from behind him.

Michael turned around and saw all the Ladies and the Birds standing with Stephanie. He put his arm around Stephanie and started to introduce them, "Stephanie, Johnny, Paulette, DiMucci, Sharon, Goose, Rhonda, Davey, and Delores, this is my cousin's husband, Danny. Danny, these are the Birds and the Ladies. Frenchy should be around here somewhere."

"Frenchy's still here? She graduated two years ago."

"She said something about failing chemistry and making her own cosmetics."

"So, how does this guy know Frenchy?" Johnny asked.

Before Michael could answer, Frenchy ran up yelling, "Danny! Is Sandy here? I haven't seen you in a long time! Why are you here? How are you?"

Danny just smirked, "Same old Frenchy. Sandy's at her parent's house trying to calm them down, it's nice to see you too, I'm here to pick up Michael, and I'm fine. What are you still doing in high school?"

"You know how I wanted to work with hair, so I quit high school? Well, when I came back, I found out that I flunked chem class. Last year, I tried to get into a school where I would be able to make my own make-up, but I needed chemistry, so here I am. What's wrong with Sandy's parents, and why does she have to calm them down?"

"Do you remember what happened when Sandy joined the Ladies? Well, it's happening again because Michael joined the Birds," Danny explained.

"Wait," Johnny said, interrupting, "you know some of the other Ladies?"

Danny looked at Michael, "You didn't tell them about me and Sandy?"

"I've only been a Bird since Saturday," Michael explained, "I haven't had time."

Now, all of his new friends were staring at him with questions in their eyes.

"Danny was one of the Birds two years ago. Sandy is my cousin. She was declared a member of the Ladies when she started dating Danny at the end of their senior year. They got married two months after they graduated because her parents kicked her out of the house for joining the Ladies. Sandy is at her parents' house right now trying to convince them to not kick me out," he stated, shoulders slumped.

"We need to get going. I told Sandy that we would be there as soon as I picked you up. Why do you ride the bus anyway? I know that you have a cycle."

"I didn't want my aunt and uncle finding out that I had it. They would've taken my keys and sold it. They didn't find out about it, did they?"

"I don't think so. They didn't say anything to Sandy about it."

Stephanie asked, "Do you want us to come with you? Maybe we could convince them that we're not a 'gang.'"

"It wouldn't work," Danny answered. "The Ladies tried that two years ago. Sandy was still kicked out. Why don't you guys come to the house later? Frenchy knows where it is. Come on, Michael, we gotta go."

The teens said that they would be there, and Michael said bye to his friends and got in the car.

"So, how did you get invited to join the Birds?" Danny asked after they left the school.

"I jumped a hundred foot canyon and a swimming pool after beating Balmudo's gang," Michael answered.

"You beat Balmudo? How?"

"Kicked him off his cycle one night at the bowling alley and then jumped the swimming pool at the luau Saturday night. He was knocked in the water after he started yelling at some of his gang who did go in the water."

"How did your aunt and uncle find out about you joining?"

"I forgot to change after the luau and walked into the house wearing a T-Bird jacket. Aunt Kate didn't take it very well. I thought that they would wait at least a week until I was kicked out."

"I called the guys. They said that they would help us unpack your stuff. I think Sandy is gonna call the girls after she gets back to the house. You can have the extra room."

"Thank you. I take it that you knew that this would happen?"

"Frenchy told us that you liked one of the Ladies. You and Sandy are a lot alike, so we figured that it was possible that you would end up as a Bird, and when you bought the bike, Sandy started cleaning out the guest room."

"We're here," Michael stated, not knowing how to react to Danny's previous statement.

Danny pulled the car into the driveway, and both guys got out. Sandy was sitting on the front porch, waiting for them. Michael looked at her, and she just shook her head and led them inside. Her parents were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for the three to sit down.

"Michael, you know our feelings on you joining that gang," his Aunt Kate started. "If you quit now, you can stay in this house. Otherwise, we feel that it would be better if you left."

Michael, who had been expecting this, wasn't even shocked, "I'll pack my things then."

"Are you telling me that you would rather be around those... those... hoodlums than be with the only family members that you have here?!" his aunt shrieked.

"Mother, I believe that you are forgetting that I am his family, too," Sandy stated chillingly, her eyes narrowed, "or am I not to be considered family?"

"You stopped being family when you married _him_," her mother countered coldly. "Why would Michael _want_ to be around you?"

"Sandy," Michael said, "I accept your invitation to move into your guest room because it seems like my aunt and uncle are not going to look beyond their ultimatum."

Danny and Sandy just nodded. Sandy's parents looked shocked that their ultimatum did the exact opposite of what they expected… again. Michael led his cousins outside to his room in the fallout shelter and, with their help, packed up his stuff. They loaded it all in Danny's car and drove off, Danny and Sandy in the car and Michael on his motorcycle. They had been in the house for all of an hour.

Danny and Sandy's house was on the other side of town near where Rizzo and Kenickie lived. Their house was small but comfortable. It has three bedrooms (theirs, a guestroom, and a room that they were eventually going to use as a nursery), two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. By the time the three got there, Kenickie and Rizzo were waiting on the porch. They helped Michael unload his stuff while they waited for the rest of the gang.

Jan, Marty, Sonny, Putzie, and Doody all arrived at the same time. They brought some pizza for the group and just hung out while they waited for the new group. Johnny's T-Birds and Stephanie's Pink Ladies, plus Frenchy, got there about thirty minutes later.

Once everyone was introduced, Sandy started the explanations. "We graduated two years ago," she began. "I had met Danny the summer before senior year. Mother, Father, and I were here on vacation. Danny and I spent all summer together, and we were both very sad when it was over. What neither of us knew was that my parents loved it here and had bought a house. I was sent to Rydell as an exchange student. There, I met the Ladies. They asked what had happened over the summer, so I told them about Danny. A few nights later, they told me that they had someone that they wanted me to meet... that person was Danny. He had gone to Rydell since kindergarten and was the leader of the T-Birds..."

"Wait!" Johnny interrupted, "You mean that you are that Danny? You're the Danny Zuko that led the Birds a few years ago?"

"Yeah," Danny answered, "I'm that Danny Zuko. You thought there was more than one?"

"Michael, why didn't you tell us that you're related to the former leader of the Birds?!"

Michael shrugged, "I didn't have time. None of you, except Delores, really spoke to me before Saturday unless it was for homework help."

"Anyway, Danny had a reputation that he had to protect, so he acted like a total jerk at our meeting that night. He later tried to explain, and I took him back. The problem was that he didn't want to be seen with me because I wasn't like the other girls he went with. I was, as Rizzo put it, a goody-two-shoes, and Danny felt that it would ruin his reputation to be with me. When he acted like a jerk for the second time, I dumped him. He saw me later that day with a jock and decided that a jock was what I wanted. Danny went to Coach Calhoun and tried every sport that the school had. Eventually, he settled on track and was pretty good at it. One day, I was at the track with my friend, Tom. Danny got distracted and tripped on one of the hurdles. I felt so glad that he wasn't hurt that I agreed to go out with him again. We went to the Frosty Palace, but our date was interrupted when all of the Ladies and Birds showed up, including Frenchy who had dropped out of Rydell a few weeks earlier to go to beauty school. The next night was the school dance. Danny and I went together, as did most of the Ladies with the Birds. Kenickie and Rizzo had had a fight, so Riz went with Leo Balmudo while Kenickie went with Balmudo's girl, Cha Cha. The dance was being broadcast live, and a dance off was held. Danny and I were the last couple on the floor, but Cha Cha couldn't have that. She used to date Danny and didn't want anyone else to win, so she cut in. Danny just kept dancing with her. I left after that, but I heard that they won the competition. Sonny, Doody, and Putzie played a prank on the entire nation during their victory dance. It caused a big scandal. I don't think they were ever caught. Danny tried to make it up to me by taking me to the drive-in the next night. He even gave me his ring, but then he tried to feel me up, and I didn't appreciate that very much, so I walked out. Someone started a rumor that Riz was pregnant that night, and it was all over the school within minutes," Sandy told the new group.

She took a drink of soda and continued, "Kenickie had bought an old car that was little more than junk at the beginning of the school year, and the Birds were fixing it up in shop class. Once they got it fixed, he was going to race it at Thunder Road. Danny was supposed to ride with him. When the boys got there, Balmudo challenged them for pink slips. I was sitting on one of the walls where no one could see me. Well, right before the race started, someone hit Kenickie on the head with a door, so Danny had to drive. The race was close, but in the end, Balmudo's car stalled and Danny won. Frenchy found me after the race. I was happy that he had won, but I couldn't help but feel sad that I couldn't be part of the celebration. So, I asked Frenchy for her help. The next day was the end of school carnival and my last chance to get Danny back. From what Putzie told me, Danny had showed up in his Letterman sweater and completely shocked all the Birds. Then, I showed up and made them all speechless. Frenchy had pierced my ears, did my hair and make-up, and helped me buy some clothes. I became one of the Ladies, right down to my leather jacket and high heels."

Danny continued the story from there, "I threw away the stupid sweater after that. I loved her before she changed, but seeing her like that made me shiver. We got back together for good after that. Riz and Kenickie got back together, too, and Riz ended the rumors about her bein' pregnant. I asked Sandy to marry me that day. Two months later, her parents found out about the gang and the engagement. They kicked her out of their house. Sandy called the Ladies to help her pack. They tried to explain the gang to her parents, but they wouldn't listen. They even started yelling. Sandy decided to push up our wedding to that day so that she could move in without any rumors starting about us. The girls did her hair and make-up. She already had her dress and had made sure that we had our suits, just in case something like that happened. All I had to do was show up at the courthouse. The ceremony was short, and a few hours later, we were married. Michael's parents helped us get this house when they heard what happened. We've been together for almost two years now. Kenickie and Riz tied the knot last summer."

Paulette had to ask, "Why did her parents kick her out? She didn't do anything wrong!"

Michael answered her, "Aunt Kate thinks that she is better than everyone else. She sees the word gang and her nose goes up in the air. She thinks that all gangs are evil, and no one can change her mind. Uncle Lyle does whatever she says without argument. He honestly doesn't care what she does as long as she cooks and cleans."

"What happened there today?" Frenchy asked.

"Aunt Kate told me that I either quit the gang and stop hanging out with all of you, or I would have to move out. She loves her ultimatums. Danny offered me a room here, and I took the offer. Most of my stuff was still packed from when I moved here from England, so it wasn't very hard to move again," Michael told them.

"How'd u get that jacket, Michael?" Kenickie asked suddenly.

"He knocked Balmudo off his bike," Goose spoke up.

"I thought that you couldn't even ride a cycle," Danny stated. "So, how did you knock Balmudo around?"

"Yeah, Shakespeare, how did u learn how to ride? And where'd you get the cycle?"

"I taught myself how to ride and I used the money you guys paid me for doing your papers to buy the motorcycle."

"How many papers did you write for us?" Johnny asked.

"Michael, you were helping the Birds cheat?" Sandy asked.

"They weren't important papers, and I wrote roughly five or six papers for each of you."

"So, you wrote around twenty papers and sold them for enough to buy a cycle?"

"It didn't even run when I got it. I learned how to fix it from a book and did all the work at the shop where I bought the bike. It had few problems, so it wasn't that hard to do."

"You learned how to fix a cycle from a book?" Johnny asked.

"That's not important," Danny interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me about you getting the bike? I could've gotten the boys together. We could've helped."

"I wanted to do this because I could, and I was sure that it would somehow get back to Johnny or Sandy's parents."

"We wouldn't've told anyone!" the older guys shouted/said.

"You would never mean to tell, but you would have anyway," Michael pointed out.

The guys didn't like it but they had to agree.

"So, what will you do now?" Stephanie asked.

"Nothing will change just because I live here."

"Shakespeare, I hate to tell you this, but things will change. You live like a block from us now!" Johnny told the newest member of the group.

"And now you can drop the 'proper English boy' act. After Saturday night no one would believe it anyway," Steph stated.

"Or after that jump you did," Paulette said.

"What exactly happened?" one of the older Ladies asked.

"It was great," Frenchy started, "Stephanie was really down because of that happened Friday night, but she and Johnny were the homecoming king and queen, so they were forced to dress up and were set adrift on the pool at the luau. Everyone was having a really nice time when Balmudo and his gang showed up. They were just riding around, ruining the luau when this guy just shows up on one of the roofs wearing leather pants, boots, a vest, and goggles. He yelled for Balmudo, who really didn't like this guy because of what happened at the bowling alley, and jumped down. His bike was waiting below, and he rode out of the circle of huts. Balmudo and his gang followed. All of a sudden, this guy comes back into the circle and jumped the pool. I mean, he went right over Johnny and Stephanie's heads. He slid to a stop next to some of the huts. Balmudo's gang all ended up in the water. Well, since no one knew who this guy was, he was swarmed, but Steph got the first real look of his face because he took off his goggles when he got off the bike. No one could believe that Michael was the one to make that jump the night before, and we all thought that Johnny was gonna kill him, but Johnny just asked for a jacket and told Michael that we all needed to see how it fit. Michael danced with Steph the rest of the night in that jacket, and Johnny told him that he could keep it and be part of the gang."

"What is this jump you guys keep talkin' about?" Kenickie asked.

"And what happened at the bowling alley?" Danny asked.

"Why don't I tell this story from the beginning?" Michael asked.

The others agreed, and Michael began his story, "I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle this year because I had nowhere else to go. Sandy and her parents are the only family I have left. My parents decided to fly to Hawaii for a second honeymoon at the beginning of last summer. They never made it. They were mugged on the way to the airport and died on the way to the hospital. Sandy's parents agreed to take me in, which meant changing schools and leaving everything I knew behind. I got here about a week before school started. It actually helped me get over my grief from my parent's deaths. We never saw each other much anyway, so it was more like losing my favorite aunt and uncle than losing my parents. I wasn't allowed to visit Sandy and Danny, but I heard enough about how they were both gang members who were one sin away from certain death. Since my parents let me talk to them over the phone whenever I wanted, I knew that they were wrong. I snuck out of the house several times to go and see them, and Sandy told me stories about her senior year. I never had enough time to meet any of the gang though. I met Frenchy on the first day of school, and we became friends. She showed me around and introduced me to everyone. She did try to warn me about falling for Stephanie, but I had my eyes on her from the second week of classes. It didn't help that she kissed me at the bowling alley one night. I spent the next few weeks trying to speak to her, but she basically ignored me. I finally just asked what she wanted, and she went off on some spiel about a cool rider in skin tight leather who was hell on wheels. Later that day, DiMucci asked if I could write a few papers for him in exchange for cash. I decided to buy a motorcycle with the money and that's what I did. It only took a few weeks to fix it up and learn how to ride. Frenchy, of course, knew what I was doing.

"About two weeks before the talent show, Balmudo and his gang showed up outside the bowling alley. I happened to be there and saw Davey about to be killed, so I rode in and kicked Balmudo. I rode circles around them and knocked them off their bikes as I went by, jumping over their bikes and over cars. Balmudo and his gang rode off when they heard the sirens. I did too, but I came back. Stephanie and Paulette were still outside when I got there, so I offered Steph a ride. I had to leave when the cops showed up, but I apparently made quite an impression on her."

"You had just beat Balmudo's gang by yourself and jumped a cop car. Not to mention the leather pants and jacket... and the goggles. Any girl would've been impressed," Steph cut in.

"Anyway, I was still considered a total geek at school, so there was no way I could speak to her without looking like a total idiot. So, a few days before the talent show, I showed up where she worked and offered her that ride again. We rode around for hours. When I took her back to the gas station that night, I almost showed her who I was, but Johnny and the others showed up before I had a chance. I told her that I would see her outside the school right before the talent show."

"As I recall, you did some pretty impressive tricks on your cycle while I was with you," Steph cut in again. "After you left, Johnny kept calling you a creep and threatening your life. He was really jealous even though he had no right to be. He was already with Paulette by then."

"I showed up outside the talent show but didn't get a chance to talk to Steph because the Birds showed up. I rode off, and this time, they chased me. Steph and the Ladies followed them in their car. We ended up in the construction zone where they're building the new bridge at Deadman's Curve. The jump wasn't that hard to make, but the others didn't even try it. Steph didn't believe the guys when they told her that I didn't crash. She thought I was dead. I actually made it back to the school before they did. I was volunteered to play the piano for everyone in the talent show, so I had to be there for every act. No one even noticed that I was still wearing most of my leather clothes. I had the perfect seat to watch Paulette tell-off Johnny about pushing her around. When the Ladies came on stage, I could see that Steph was distraught, but there was nothing I could do that night... other than sing along with her and play when she improvised a new ending to their song. I was amazed when no one really cared that there was a random voice singing with her. I really wanted to go to her, but I had left my goggles and helmet outside and all of you had swarmed her on stage. I guess you were all too worried about winning the talent show. At the luau, I wanted to show myself at just the right time. Balmudo showing up was a coincidence but one that I could use. I had hid my bike in one of the huts before everyone showed up, so when Balmudo showed up, I climbed on top of the building it was in, and the rest happened just like Frenchy said. Jumping the pool was easy compared to the jump from the night before. I thought Johnny was going to kill me right there, especially when he started yelling. When he gave me the jacket, my status at the school instantly changed. Delores cut in for a few seconds and explained that she was dating Davey, so I gave her some advice and she left me and Steph to work out our relationship. We danced all night. I was very happy that I didn't have to hide half my personality anymore. The only problem was my aunt and uncle. I forgot to change back into my slacks and dress shirt before I went into their house. Luckily, I did remember to hide my bike. Aunt Kate had a meltdown when I walked into the kitchen. I escaped before she really got started, but she wouldn't speak to me yesterday, so I knew she was going to issue one of her ultimatums. I started packing my things. I thought that I would have a few more days... time to find Sandy's phone number and ask if I could stay here until school ended. Aunt Kate calling Sandy just saved me the trouble."

"Michael," Sandy said, "we need to go to Rydell tomorrow, speak with Mrs. McGee, and change the address on your records."

"Mrs. McGee is gonna flip when she finds out what your aunt and uncle did. She has a soft spot for us," Johnny told Michael.

"It's getting late, guys," Danny said, seeing that it was almost midnight. "I know that some of you need to get home, and we all gotta be up early tomorrow. Kenickie, tell our boss that I'm prolly not gonna come in tomorrow. We have to go convince the in-laws that they need to transfer Michael's guardianship to us, and we have to go fill out paperwork at the school."

Kenickie and Rizzo stood up. "You got it," he said as they left.

All of the older Ladies and Birds followed them out the door, saying their good-byes as they left. The younger groups made plans to ride for Michael to ride his bike with them to school the next morning before they also left. Stephanie stayed behind just long enough to get a kiss from Michael before the girls were calling her away.

Sandy stood up, "Goodnight, Michael. We'll see you in the morning."

"Night," Danny said before leading Sandy out of the room.

"Goodnight," Michael told them both as he went to his room.

The next morning, Michael rode his bike to school with the Birds for the first time. The Ladies followed them in their pink car. Michael also got to wear his 'cool' clothes to school without fearing that his aunt and uncle would find out. Everyone that hadn't been at the luau had heard about what happened, but few had believed it. Now, the proof was walking around in tight black jeans, a button-up shirt half-way unbuttoned, and a T-Bird jacket with his arm around the leader of the Pink Ladies. When 3 o'clock rolled around and the leader of the T-Birds and one of the Ladies from two years ago showed up and Michael hugged her, everyone started to think that they were going crazy. How could this geek from England even know the old groups?

The T-Birds and Ladies walked over to their older members and greeted them like old friends; then the entire group walked back into the school instead of leaving like they normally did. This shocked those who saw it because the Birds and Ladies never stayed on school grounds unless they absolutely had to. Twenty minutes later, they were shocked again when Principal McGee stalked out the front door with the two gangs trying to calm her down and Blanche cheering her on from the front steps. She finally stopped when Michael stepped in front of her. No one was close enough to know what he said to her, except the Birds and Ladies, but whatever it was, it worked. McGee nodded and headed back into the school, leaving the gangs outside. Blanche patted Michael on the shoulder before following along behind her.

Everyone wanted to know what was going on, but few would just outright ask. After all, the Birds have a (somewhat undeserved) reputation of violence, especially when one of their own is involved. The gangs left before anyone got up the nerve to even approach them.

"So, cousin, how long do you think it will take Mrs. McGee and Mrs. Blanche to let the entire community know what my parents did to us?" Sandy asked once they got home that afternoon.

All of the Ladies and Birds were sitting in Danny and Sandy's living room, talking about what happened that day.

Michael smirked, "They won't let this stay secret for more than a few days. Mrs. McGee looked ready to drive to their house and give them a very long talk about both gangs, and I bet Mrs. Blanche would've been cheering her on the whole time while putting her two cents in whenever possible. I wish we could see their faces after the news spreads. The only reason no one knew what happed with you is that it happened over the summer. Your parents do not have that luxury this time. Aunt Kate did not think this through or else she would've waited until the end of the school year."

"It sounds like she's gonna get what she deserves," Rizzo said, smirking.

"Yeah, it does," Danny stated, looking at his wife who just smiled back.


End file.
